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Watching a beautiful sunrise is a special event, and on this particular December morning while driving west on the open highway, I observed the sky changing colours through my car’s side mirrors. What was really special that morning was seeing radiant hues of orange, pink, and blue spread into the entire sky and not just behind me. So, without delay, I snapped pictures through the front window to capture the scene as it unfolded.
I not only marvelled at the palette of colour all around me, but I couldn’t help but think of how God blesses us through the gift of colour. That got me thinking one step further. What does the Bible have to say about colour? When I finally arrived home, I Googled it to appease my curiosity. Did you know that colours, like numbers, are frequently used in the Bible and have significant meaning?
“Nope, neither did I.”
For example, and I’ll try to condense this. The three primary colours found in nature are red, yellow, and blue, and they hold significant meaning in the Bible. Red is the root word for mankind. Red is translated in the Old Testament as oudem, which means “red clay.” Adam and Esau have their names derived from the word oudem. Red is most commonly associated with the shed blood of Jesus on the cross. Blue represents the heavens and the word of God. Yellow refers to the precious metal gold. Gold represents the sovereignty of God.
Secondary colours also carry significance in the Bible. Green is the colour of vegetation. It symbolizes life, restoration, and new beginnings. Green is the colour of resurrection, which we experience in the Spring. Amber symbolizes the glory of God, His judgement, and endurance. Purple represents royalty, majesty, and the priesthood in the Bible. White refers to holiness, light, and redemption. Black symbolizes sin, darkness, and death. Silver alludes to divinity, salvation, and refining. Bronze for strength and durability—how in the book of Revelation, Jesus’ feet are described as being like bronze.
I could go on, but I think you get the idea.
As I continued to watch the sky change colour the further west I drove, I was also reminded that the rainbow is God’s promise to us that he will never destroy mankind or any living creature again. More use of colour, and another reminder to my heart and soul that God uses colour to show me how much he loves me, that he gave his life for me, and that I am graced with eternal life because I received Jesus as my Lord and Saviour.
I want to leave you with one simple Bible verse. It’s easy to remember and easy to commit to memory.
“The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship.” (Psalms 19:1 NLT)
Colourful words, to say the least, and yet so wonderfully powerful as a way for you and me to remember that we serve a God who uses colour in the fields of the earth, vivid rainbows, and dazzling skies to showcase how belonging to Jesus can bring us a profound sense of joy, peace, and strength.
Look around you and give thanks to God. He really is quite the artist!
Paul Smyth
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